Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Osorezan Bodaiji Temple

 

     Mount Osore is one of the three most sacred mountains in Japan, along with Mount Hiei and Mount Koya.  Locals have long said, "When people die, they go to Mount Osore."  The sacred grounds, surrounded by the outer rim of the mountain, are a cut-off place that cannot be seen from the outside.  When you cross the drum bridge over the Sanzu River and enter the sacred area, a landscape that is said to resemble the afterlife spreads before your eyes.  Gokurakuhama Beach, with its beauty reminiscent of the Pure Land, Jigokudani, with its sulfurous smell, the desolate Hell of Endlessness, and Pond of Blood Hell...  At Sai no Kawara,  or Sai Riverbank, there are stones piled up by parents to mourn their young children who have died, and pinwheels spinning round and round, showing the parents' sorrow and sadness.

     Osorezan Bodaiji Temple was founded in 862, about half a century after the death of Sakanoue Tamaramaro (758-811).  That means the Imperial Army hardly reached the northern part of today's Iwate Prefecture.  Then, where did Buddhism come from to the Shimokita Peninsula?

     It might have come from Ideha Province, or, in a broader sense, from the continent across the Sea of Japan.

     In 727, the King of Balhae, Da Muye (?-737), launched a delegation of 24 envoys led by Gao Len-i.  The delegation arrived in the land of Emishi in Northern Japan by misfortune.  16 envoys, including Gao Len-i, were killed by Emishi.  The other 8 escaped under the provisional leadership of Gao Je-deog, and reached Ideha Province.

     It occurred 6 years before the advance of Japanese power to Akita.  The envoys found either the estuary of Omono River, that of Yoneshiro River, where Nushiro Port was located later, or that of Iwaki River, where Tosa Port flourished centuries later.  In those areas, at that time, Japanese and Emishi powers were clashing head-on.  The envoys might have been unfortunately mistaken for Japanese sea forces, and were attacked.  The surviving envoys left Japan next year, with the information that the archipelago was divided into the north, which was sparsely populated and less advanced than the south, and the south, which was densely populated and less advanced than Balhae and which were willing to offer many products of fabric as presents.

     In 739, Balhae sent another delegation to Japan.  This time again, they got plenty of fabric products  in exchange for hides.   Those pieces of information from the 2 delegations might have interested especially the Tiei tribe.  In 746, over 1,100 Balhae and Tiei people arrived in Ideha Province.  The number implied it was rather a big migration to be just envoys.  After getting some clothes and food as they might have expected, they were deported.  They left Ideha Province.  But to where?  They might have continued to sail north.  First, they might have invaded the estuary of Yoneshiro River, outnumbered the local Emishi people, and occupied or built Nushiro Port.  And then some of them might have continued to sail further north, reached the estuary of Iwaki River, outnumbered the local Emishi people, and occupied or built Tosa Port there.  With the knowledge of navigation, it might have been they who also built 2 ports to wait for better winds.  One was in Onga between Akita and Nushiro, and the other was in Fukaura between Nushiro and Tosa.  Those ports made the navigation across the Sea of Japan safer and more secure.

     Ideha Fortress in Akita came to be called Akita Castle by 761.  The Akita area at the time was sparsely populated, and no large-scale villages were found.  The fortress was in the front line.  A kind of farmer-soldiers were sent to the area mainly from Koshi and Shinano Provinces, and a kind of a small “castle town” was formed around the fortress.  The villagers consisted of immigrant farmer-soldiers and “subordinate Emishi”, who had surrendered themselves to Japan.

     In 771, 325 people took 17 separate ships and unusually sailed against south winds to Japan from Balhae in June (in August by Gregorian Calendar).  They arrived at Nushiro Port in "barbarian lands" of Ideha Province.  It is “surprising” that such a big fleet at the time orderly sailed, yet orderly strayed north, and orderly arrived at a port town in “barbarian lands.”  It was more than likely not a coincidence.  In calculation, about 20 people were on board a ship on average.  If about 40 people were aboard on an envoy ship as usual, many of the other 16 ships could have been smaller, just as small as fishing boats.

     Let's take a different perspective on the issue.  They might have avoided the winter when winds and waves were too hard for small fishing boats, although they had to row.  The envoy ship led the other fishing boats so as that they could get to the sparsely populated area safely.  Another 285 people stayed in Nushiro Port to engage in fishing and smuggling, and inhabited there, probably with their senior colleagues who had arrived there about a generation before.  It was a deliberate and coordinated migration plan to add human resources to their colony port towns.

     In the 15th century, the Ando Pirates, who were based in the Tosa Port, and the Nanbu Family, who were based in the central part of Mutsu Province, struggled for supremacy in Shimokita Peninsula, which faces the Tsugaru Channels between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific.  It's not surprising if Buddhism in the peninsula was brought across the Sea of Japan.

Address : 3-2 Usoriyama, Tanabe, Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture, 035-0021

Telephone : 0175-22-3825

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #32 Joraku-ji Temple

 

     Joraku-ji Temple belongs to Shingon Sect and was founded in 1396 by Priest Ryokai, who was from Negoro-ji Temple in Ki Province.  At first, the temple was located nearer to the sea, but, after the fire in 1900, it was moved to its present place.

Address: 13-6 Ominato Kamimachi, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0086

Phone: 0175-24-1960

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #31 Kannon-do Hall

 

     Sato Shiro, the village head of Sekine Village, enshrined an image of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, in his privately owned land in September, 1697.  He held the image’s consecration, inviting a priest from Entsu-ji Temple.  The image and its hall was organized into the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in 1714.  The image is still enshrined in the private land.

     When the Kakisaki Family was ousted by the Nanbu Family in the 1450's, the area used to be called Tachimawari-zeki and was ruled by Nakatsugawa Kenmotsu.  It is unknown whose side Kenmotsu belonged to.

     After the flight of the Kakisaki Family, the Hatanaka, Echigo, Kurata, Ando, and Kara Families fled to the Tachimawari-zeki area with a bronze mirror whose back has Japanese apricot blossoms and 2 flying sparrows cast.

Address: Kitasekine-11 Sekine, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0022

Entsu-ji Temple

Address: 4-11 Shinmachi, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0051

Phone: 0175-22-1091

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Kyotaku-ji Temple

     Kyotaku-an Hermitage was founded sometime between 1716 and 1735 in Wakinosawa Village.  

     Sugae Masumi (1754-1892), a travel essaysist, visited northern provinces from 1783.  When he visited Wakinosawa Village in 1793, he talked with Daisen, the owner of Kyotaku-an Hermitage.  According to his account, Konpira Gongen, a Japanese god of merchant sailors, was worshiped by those who worked for shipping industry and fisheries.  Kyotaku-an Hermitage was founded due to the syncretism with Buddhism.

     The hermitage was changed into Kyotaku-ji Temple in 1817.

     When the Nanbu Family got rid of the Kakizaki Family in the 1450's, Wakinosawa Village was ruled by Onisawa Shuzen.  It is unknown whose side Shuzen supported.

     In the latter half of the 18th century, the village had 4 local maritime boats, 20 fishing boats, a saltworks, 40 horses, and 103 cattle.  The largest industry of the village was fishing cod.

Address: Katsurazawa-284 Wakinosawa, Mutsu, Aomori 039-5326

Phone: 0175-44-2412

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Daikaku-in Kumano Shrine

 

     Kumano Shrine was invited to the left bank of the Tanabu River in 1524 by Monk Shinnyo.

     After the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the shrine's Horse-Headed Hayagriva image was moved to the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Entsu-ji Temple.  However, Shintaka Kannon-do Hall was abolished and its Ekadasamukha image was moved to the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #29 Daikaku-in Kumano Shrine.  The reason for these contradictory and inconsistent moves is unknown.

Address: Shinmachi 50−2, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0051 

Phone: 0175-22-2682

Kumano Shrine

Address: 15-3 Shinmachi, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0051

Phone: 0175-22-4857

Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #1 Entsu-ji Temple

Address: 4-11 Shinmachi, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0051

Phone: 0175-22-1091

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Shinnyo-an Temple

 

     Aborvitaes were specialties of Shimokita Penninsula.  In Sai Village, the Sakai Family was a watch of aborvitae woods.  The head of the family called himself Genpachi, and Genpachi the 17th was the head of the family at the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867).  A Genpachi (?-1712) founded Shinnyo-an Temple in Ushitaki Hamlet in the village.

     Priest Gekkan (1653-1702), the 19th head priest of Kozen-ji Temple, was traveling around Japan to raise funds for the reconstruction of Kozen-ji Temple, which had been dilapidated.  He encountered a merchant Akai Genpachi in Ushitaki Hamlet, Sai Village, Mutsu Province.  Genpachi was busy rebuilding Honsei-ji Temple, which had been destroyed by fire.  Gekkan handed Genpachi all of the donations he had collected up to that point, saying that the reconstruction of Kozen-ji Temple was not urgent.  Genpachi promised Gekkan that he would cut down abrovitae trees in Sai and send them to Kozen-ji Temple in Ecchu Province once Honsei-ji Temple was rebuilt.  After several years, as he promised, Genpachi cut wood from the mountains, loaded each piece with a note reading "To Himi Kozen-ji Temple", and set sail from Ushitaki.

     However, the ship encountered a storm in the Sea of ​​Japan and nearly capsized, so he was forced to dump the timber into the sea.  The timber washed up on Sado Island.  Since fishermen from Himi had moved to the island and many of them were followers of Gekkan, they managed to gather up every piece.  The timber arrived safely in Etchu.  Kozen-ji Temple was rebuilt in 1701, using the timber that arrived from Ushitaki.

     Gekkan passed away in 1702 soon after seeing the reconstruction of Kozen-ji Temple.  Genpachi spent the rest of his life in Himi without returning to his hometown of Ushitaki.  His grave, inscribed "Genpachi of Ushitaki, Sakai, Oshu, The Nanbu Domain" still stands on the temple grounds.

     Genpachi, who founded Sinnyo-an Temple, could have been the next-generation Genpachi, who died in Himi.

     Honsei-ji Temple was founded in Hikobe Village, Shiwa County, Mutsu Province.  It burned down in 1576, and was moved to Futsukamachi in the same county.  In 1635, it was removed to its present place.  Presumably, Genpachi was busy supporting the relocation and revival of Honsei-ji Temple

.

Address: Ushitaki-18-1 Chogo, Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4712

Kozen-ji Temple

Address: 1-35 Marunouchi, Himi, Toyama 935-0017

Phone: 0766-72-1842

Honsei-ji Temple

Address: 3-16 Nasukawacho, Morioka, Iwate 020-0016

Phone: 019-652-1894

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #27 Kannon-do Hall

 

     A Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja image was presented by Kasai Kichibe, a lumber dealer from Hokuriku Region, in Kawauchi Village in 1718, almost simultaneously with the organization of the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  A Kannon-do hall was built fot the image in 1745.

     Kawauchi Village was located at the mouth of the Kawauchi River.  Kurakoshi Fortress was on the right bank of the midstream

     In the 1450's, when the Kakizaki and Nanbu Families fought against each other, the area was called Uchihi-gawa, and a local administrator was stationed.  It is unknown, however, whose side the administrator belonged to.

Address: Amadanai-152-15 Shinjo, Aomori, 038-0042

Site of Kurakoshi Fortress

Address: Kawauchi-424 Kawauchi, Mutsu, Aomori 039-5201

Phone: 0175-42-4009

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Ryusui-an Temple

 

     Ryusui-an Temple was founded by Priest Densatsu (?-1755) at the site of Kakizaki Fortress Complex.  Its precincts used to be the eastern guard of the fortress.

     The Kakizaki Fortress was bult by Takeda Nobuyoshi in 1334, and was seized by Nanbu Masatsune in 1457.

Address: Teranomae-123 Kawauchimachi Kakizaki, Mutsu, Aomori 039-5204

Site of Kakizaki Castle

Address: Kawauchimachi Kakizaki, Mutsu, Aomori 039-5204   

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #25 Hakusan Shrine

 

     Hakusan Shrine was invited to Idojiri Hamlet, Ori Village, Nukabe County, Mutsu Province, in 1711, almost simultaneously with the organization of the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  The village was located on the right bank of the midstream Tanabu River.

     When the Kakizaki Family was defeated by the Nanbu Family in the 1450's, the Tanabu River mouth area was called O-Yorozuya Port and Kakizaki Kurodo fled to Hakkaido from the port.

Address: Idojiri-19 Ori, Higashidori, Shimokita District, Aomori 035-0001

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Jonen-ji Temple

 

     Jonenji Temple was founded kTanabu Village in 1596.  It belongs to Pure Land Buddhism.

     The temple's main deity, a wooden seated Amidabha statue, was made by Genshin (942-1017).  It was originally in Seijoke-in Temple in Kyoto, one of the main temples of Pure land Buddhism.  It was moved to Jonen-ji Temple by the 4th head priest Ryoho Ben'i in 1686 after the temple was burned down in the 1650's.

     The about-90-centimeters-tall wooden seated Amidabha is made of cypress wood, inlaid with lacquer and gold leaves, and was designated a national treasure in 1915, now a nationally designated important cultural property due to a legal revision.

     The Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #3 Jigan-ji Mannin-do Hall was abandoned after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, and was moved to the precincts of Jonen-ji Temple.  The doors of the altar are painted with the Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja and Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  The main deity of Mannin-do is Arya Avalokitesvara.

     The 24th deity of the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is the statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, which is also known as Kawabata Kannon.  It was dedicated by Kikuchi Denzo in 1700 as a protection against the kappa that was frequently seen in the Tanabu River and harassing children.  Today, it is believed to bring blessings for fertility, safe childbirth, and child-rearing.

     Tanabu Village was first documented in 1325, when Ando Munesue gave Taya and Tanabu Villages to Lady Tora during her lifetime.

     Munesue fought against Ando Suenaga, who is said to have been his cousin or the son of his cousin, for the position of Ezo Magistrate.

     Since the early days of the Kamakura Shogunate, Hokkaido had been a place of exile for serious criminals, and the main role of the Ezo Magistrate was to send the exiles to prison and to monitor them.  It is also believed that they were involved in trade with northern foreigners.

     The position began in 1217, when the then Regent Hojo Yoshitoki (1163-1224) became the governor of Mutsu, and appointed Ando Takahide as Ezo Magistrate.

     This position was a hereditary position of the Ando family, and the magistrate office was located in Tosaminato, Tsugaru.  The Ando family, commissioned by the Hojo Clan, collected taxes on the profits from trading ships and paid them to the head family of the Hojo Clan.

The conflict between Munesue and Suenaga is believed to have been ongoing since before 1318. In 1322, the matter was brought to the official documents' office of the head family of the Hojo Clan for arbitration.  The dispute, however, became complicated when Nagasaki Takasuke (?-1333), the butler of the Hojo Clan, received bribes from both sides and gave orders to both.

     Munesue was given the position of Ezo Magistrate by the head family of the Hojo Clan on June 6th, 1325, and it is believed that this led to Suenaga's rebellion against the head family of the Hojo Clan.

     Suenaga did not submit to the ruling of the head family and the fighting did not subside.  In 1326, Kudo Sadasuke, a vassal of the head family, was sent to pursue Suenaga.  Sadasuke captured Suenaga in July of the year and returned to Kamakura with him, but Suenaga's retainers Ando Suekane and others continued to revolt.  In 1327, Utsunomiya Takasada, Oda Haruhisa (1300-1353), Nanbu Nagatsugu (?-1352) and others were sent as the Shogunate army.  In 1328, a peace agreement was reached regarding the internal conflict within the Ando Family.

     According to letters dated September 11th, 1325, and dated June 14th, 1330, Munesue's territories included Kinuiejima, Shiribiki Village, Katanobe Village in Hanawa County, Usori Village, Nakahama Stock Farm, Minato in Nukanobu County, and Nishihama in Tsugaru County.

     In 1333, the Kamakura Shogunate collapsed.  In 1334, Nanbu Moroyuki (?-1338) sent Akaboshi Goro and Takeda Shuri from Hachinohe to the north.  The Akaboshi Family was based in Tanabu, but was destroyed by Kakizaki Kurodo.  In 1457, Kurodo was driven away to Hokkaido, and Tanabu Village became under the rule of the Nanbu Family.

Address: 4-8 Tanabucho, Mutsu, Aomori 035-0034

Phone: 0175-22-1891

Seijoke-in Temple

Address: 395 Kitanobecho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0852

Phone: 075-231-2550

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Daiko-an Temple

 

     Priest Gugen (?-1717) came from Komyo-ji Temple in Kamakura with a Thousand-Armed Sahasrabhuja image.  He planted 43 saplings of Akita cedars, with only 3 of them still alive in front of the temple gate.  The hall used to be just called Kannon-do but was named Daiko-an in 1912.

     The temple is located at the foot of Shiriya-Hachiman-gu Shrine, which was invited from Usa-Hachiman-gu Shrine in 1623, and which was revived in 1708.  Presumably, Priest Gugen revived the shrine and built a Buddhist hall to take care of the shrine.

     Gugen's religious activities were almost contemporary with the organization of the Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. 

     Old ladies hold a kind of a festival on the 24th every month.  They call the day meinichi, literally a death anniversary.  It is unknown whose anniversary the day is.

     The villagers enshrine Oshira-sama at home.  Oshira-sama is a tutelary deity of the home in the Tohoku Region folklore.  The festival day for Oshira-sama is called meinichi, literally a death anniversary.  It is held on the 16th day of the first, third, and ninth month of the Japanese lunar calendar.

Address: Mizukami-3 Shiriya, Higashidori, Shimokita District, Aomori 035-0111

Phone: 0175-47-2828

Komyo-ji Temple

Address: 6 Chome-17-19 Zaimokuza, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0013

Phone: 0467-22-0603

Shiriya-Hachiman-gu Shrine

Address: Terayama-1-4, Shiriya, Higashidori, Shimokita District, Aomori 035-0111

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #22 Choko-ji Temple

 

     Chofuku-ji Temple was founded in 1612.  Its 5th priest, Gugaku, founded Choko-ji Temple in 1712, when the fiscal difficulties of the Morioka Domain or the Nanbu Clan became serious.

Address: Okoppemura-157 Okoppe, Oma, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4602

Phone: 0175-37-4753

Chofuku-ji Temple

Address: Kosai-112 Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4711

Phone: 0175-38-2298

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #21 Amida-ji Temple

 

     Priest Kakuyo (?-1675) of Hosshin-ji Temple built a retirement home and named it Amida-an.  In 1929, Amida-an became a temple and was named Amida-ji.

     Oma Village could have been unique.  Its Inari Shrine enshrines Mazu, who is a Chinese sea goddess in Chinese folk religion, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Mazu is the deified form of Lin Moniang, who is said to have lived in the late 10th century.  Her worship spread throughout China's coastal regions and overseas Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia.  Oma could be her northern limit.

     Oma was also believed to have had a fort of northern foreigners, Shijuya-date Fort.

     During the Genroku Period (1688-1704), Ito Gozaemon, who later became headman of Oma, conceived that he received protection of Mazu at sea.  In Japan, Mazu worship spread mixed with that of Ototachibanahime, who had ties to Hitachi Province.  In the Edo Period (1603-1867), Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1628-1700), who was the lord of the Mito Domain, enshrined a statue of Mazu which was brought from China.  Mazu of Oma Inari Shrine is said to have been invited from Nakaminato, Hitachi Province, on July 23rd, 1697.  Since then, the Mazu Festival is held annually on March 23rd, July 23rd, and August 23rd.

Address: Oma−97 Oma, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4601

Phone: 0175-37-3310

Hosshin-ji Temple

Address: Kosai-25-3 Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4711

Phone: 0175-38-2276

Inari Shrine

Address: Oma−91-1 Oma, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4601

Phone: 0175-37-4101

Shijuya-date Site

Address: Oma, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4601

Phone: 0175-37-2111

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Chofuku-ji Temple

 

     Okamuisawa used to be enshrined on the top of Onna Gankakeiwa, namely Female Prayer Rock.  It is unknown whether an Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image was enshrined on the top of the rock or in the priest's house.  Anyway, after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, the image was moved to Chofuku-ji Temple.

     About 200 meters south-east, there is Otoko Gankakeiwa, namely Male Prayer Rock.  As is often the case, Onna Gankakeiwa rather looks like a female genital, while Otoko Gankakeiwa appears to be a male genital.

Address: Kosai-112 Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4711

Phone: 0175-38-2298

Onna Gankakeiwa

Address: Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4711

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #19 Chofuku-ji Temple

 

     Abe Hirafu, the governor of Koshi Province, commanded 180 ships and attacked Mishihase in 658.  After the attack, he held a banquet for cooperative and helpful northern foreigners, including those from Iburi-Sae.  Some identify Iburi-Sae to be Sai in Shimokita Peninsula.  Hirafu also offered the central government 2 alive bears and 70 bear hides.  In 659, he attacked Mishihase and offered the central government 49 captives.

     In 660, the central government finally dispatched Abe Hirafu so that he could command 200 ships and attack Mishihase.  He ordered the northern foreigners in Mutsu Province to board the ships, and got to the southern riverbank of a large river.  At that time, 1,000 northern foreigners in Watari-jima were encamped on the other riverbank.  2 of them proceeded and shouted out, “Many of Mishihase’s ships and soldiers are coming.  They are going to kill us.  We’d like to cross the river and work for you.”  Abe sent a ship and asked the two where the enemy was hiding their ships and how many ships they had.  The two pointed at a place and said, “More than 20 ships.”  Abe sent a messenger to the enemy, but they denied coming.  They also refused Abe’s appeasement policies, and held the fortress in Herobe Island.  They were defeated by Abe, and killed their own wives and children on the island.  Abe offered the central government 50 captives.

     Sai Village has Kosai, namely Old Sai, and Osai, namely Big Sai, areas.  Between the 2 areas, there is a hill on which Yanemori-Hachiman-gu Shrine stands.

     Shokai-ji Temple was founded in Osai at the foot of Yanemori-Hachiman-gu Shrine, which was founded in 1062.  The temple could have had something to do with the shrine, and was abolished after the Meiji Restoration Government issued the Gods and Buddhas Separation Order in 1868, with its Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha image moved to Chofuku-ji Temple, which had been founded in 1112, when Minamoto Yoriyoshi (988-1075) defeated the Abe Clan in Mutsu Province.  It is, however, unknown if Yoriyoshi's power reached the northernmost tip of the province.

Address: Kosai-112 Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4711

Phone: 0175-38-2298

Yanemori-Hachiman-gu Shrine

Address: Hachimando-37 Sai, Shimokita District, Aomori 039-4711

Phone: 0175-38-2259

Trees In the Town

Virtual Shimokita 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #18 Horin-ji Temple

 

     Gamanosawa Village was located on the right bank of upstream Tanabu River.  From sometime in Heian Period (794-1185) to Kamakura Period (1185-1333), Yamadate Fortress was built in Shishibashi Hamlet of the village.  Samurai could have supported the foundation of Horin-ji Temple as it belongs to Caodong Chan School.

     Tradition says that the village produced some gold and silver.

Address: Muranaka-33 Gamanosawa, Higashidori, Shimokita District, Aomori 035-0004

Phone: 0175-27-2936